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(No Model.)

GJA. INGRAM.

MINERS SQUIB.

No. 296,011. Patented Apr. 1,1884.

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UNrTED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

GEORGE A. INGRAM, OF PLYMOUTH, PENNSYLVANIA.

MINERS SQUIB.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 296,011, dated April 1, 188%.

application filed December 31, 1883. No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern-.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. INGRAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Plymouth, in the county of Luzerne and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful MinersSquib, of which thefollowingis aspecification, reference being had to the accompa nying drawings.

This invention relates to squibs for the use of miners in blasting; and it has for its object to obviate the many accidents which so often occur from the imperfect nature of the squibs generally used for the purpose stated.

A further object of my'invention is to pro vide a device which will act with greater force and travel a greater distance back into the blasting-tube than heretofore.

In blasting operations the miner places the squib within the blasting-tube, one end of the squib being provided with a match or fuse and the other having a seal to protect and retain the explodingcharge. The seal is broken or out before the squib is placed in position, in order to establish a communication between the igniting material and the charge, and the miner applies fire to the match or fuse and departs as quickly as possible to a safe place to await developments. There he waits in vain for the explosion, and finally makes up his mind that it has gone out. He then walks cautiously back to the blasting-hole, where he either finds that the end of the squib is burned black, the p owder remaining untouched, or he may find a spark of fire hanging to the squib, and before he can withdraw the squib or make a second retreat the powder ignites and blows him into eternity. Another disadvantage of this method of blasting is that by breaking the seal the straw becomes split or broken, and when the squib is being replaced in position a portion of the charge is spilt or dropped out, so that when the match is fired by the miner the aforesaid loose powder will ignite and cause the explosion of the entire charge before he has reached aplace of safety; and another disadvantage of this construction is that by forming the match integral with the squib a portion of the powder contained within the same will run out unobserved down into the match, which is usually in the form of a cylinder, and when the said match is fired the powder contained within the same will cause the premature explosion of the charge, and the consequent death of the miner.

To obviate the above disadvantages and attain the aforesaid objects, the first part of my invention consists in immersing or coating the paper shell or straw in a solution, to render the same combustible, or coating one end of the shell with the said solution, and thus when the match or fuse has burned up to the squib, the latter takes fire instantly and causes the explosion without any unnecessary delays, and precludes any possibility of the squib going out.

The second part of my invention consists in an improved composition to be used either as a filling for the straws or paper shells or as stoppers to retain the explosive charges, the composition being as combustible as powder, so that there will be no necessity of cutting or breaking the seal at the rear end of the squib, since the stopper will ignite and communicate with the charge as originally intended, thereby preventing any loose powder from the squib being dropped, as before stated.

The third part of my invention consists of an improved form and construction of match separate from the squib, the match being constructed from paper, cardboard, 'or other suitable material, and formed fiat, and coated or saturated with a composition, to cause the said match to burn freely and steadily and readily ignite the squib when it is reached, and thus there will be no danger of the powder within the shell or case escaping or running out into or upon the match and causing a premature explosion.

The said invention consists, further, in certain details of construction and combination of parts, as hereinafter set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a sectional view through the blasting-barrel, showing the manner of arranging the parts according to my method of blasting. Fig. 2 represents a sectional view of a straw or paper shell filled with powder, and having combustible paste stoppers. Fig. 3 represents a similar view of a straw or shell having the combustible paste filling. Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate several forms of my improved separable match or fuse.

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the barrel placed within the blasting-hole E, the latter having a charge, 0, of powder or other suitable explosive material at its rear portion, said charge communicating with and extending into the blasting-barrel, and my improved squib, hereinafter described, being placed within the front end of the said barrel and adapted to communicate with the said charge B in the manner well known in the art.

My improved squib consists of the usual parts-the paper shell or straw D, filling of powder E, and the match or fuse F. In preparing the straws or paper shells, I make a solution of water with saltpeter, or powder, or chlorate of potassium, and then immerse or saturate the entire paper shell or straw, or simply coat the end to be fired with the aforesaid solution. By this means the shells take fire from the least contact with the flame or deadmatch when applied for that purpose by the miner. The failure heretofore of this ignition taking place when the match has been lit is the main cause of so many accidents in the mines, as before explained, and'thus my improved squib adds to the safety of the miner. The compound or solution may be of any desirable mixture of materials or proportions of the same, the main object of the solution being to providea cheap and efficient means for rendering the shell combustible as soon as the flame from the match reaches it. When the shell is perfectly dry, it is either filled with powder, as shown in Fig. 2, or with a combustible composition, as illustrated in Fig. 3. This combustible or inflammable composition consists of one, two, or all of the following gredients, to suit different places and sizes of squibs:. saltpeter, charcoal, brimstone or suls phur, cholorate of potassium, glycerine, sirup or molasses, and sugar. The aforesaid ingredients are mixed in proportions to suit wet and dry places, and by carefully-prepared composition of these ingredients formed into a paste and applied in that state as an. explosive filling for the shells, as shown in Fig. 3, there will be no danger of the filling escaping from the shell, since it will hold itself in place within the same.

Instead of filling the shells with the explosive composition, 1 may use powder as a filling, and provide combustible paste stoppers (formed of the composition above described) to hold or retain the powder within the shells, said stoppers being readily ignited upon the slightest contactwith fire. This combustible paste composition, when dry, adheres to the straw or paper shell and prevents the escape of powder in handling or transporting the squibs, and is perfectly safe, except when touched with fire. By means of the combustible stoppers the one at the rear end of the squib need not be cut off, as is usually the case with all other squibs, and thus 'by retaining the rear stopper in place the squib travels with greater force back into the blasting-tube, forthe reason that the gas generated by combustion will be prevented from escaping through the tail end and impeding the backward movement of squib.

M designates my improved match or fuse, which is made from card-board, paper, or other suitable material, saturated or coated with copal varnish and tallow, and cut into various shapes and sizes.

By preparing the card-board matches as described, they will burn freely and steadily, and there will be no danger of their gcing out after they have once been lighted, such as frequently occurs from the use of the ordinary fuses. They are formed separate from the shell or case, and are adapted to communicate with the same wh in use, and avoid the danger of powder from the shell running out of the squib unobserved. The attachment of the ordinary cylindrical fuse to the shell is generally not very strong. Consequently some of the powder contained within the shell will eventually work itself out pon the match or within the same unobserved by the miner, and when he thinks everything is safe he applies the fire to the match or fuse, and before he can retreat to a place of safety the explosion eccurs and he is blown to atoms. This difficulty has been attempted to be avoided by employing a cylindrical-shaped match separate from the squib; but this construction is dangerous, since sometimes the powder which may be accidentally spilled among them finds its way into the same, and when attached to the squib goes off with the same result.

My improved match is simple and convenient in its construction, it projects out from the blastingwbarrel when in use, and will burn with a slow and steady yet a free flame.

The operation of my invention will be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the annexed drawings, and therefore need not be particularly recited here.

The blasting-barrel,with its squib, is adjusted in position within the blasting-hole, and by applying fire to the match a successful blast will be sure to follow, no matter what the direction of the blast may It will be apparent that various modifications may be made in the foregoing without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention.

It will also be seen that by the use of my invention many lives of miners will be saved, since the dangers attending the use of my improved squib are reduced to a minimum.

Having described my invention, I claim as new- 1. In a mining-squib, the shells filled with powder or other explosive agent and having heads or stoppers at each end, said heads be ing formed of a mixture of suitable ingredients to make a paste which will stick or ad here to the shells, and yet be readily combustible, as set forth.

2. A mining-squib having the shell saturated or coated with a composition to make it combustible, preparatory to filling the same, an explosive filling, and combustible heads or stoppers at the ends of the shell, said heads being composed of a composition of ingredients to make a paste which will adhere to the shells, and yet be readily combustible, as set forth.

' 3. As an improved article of manufacture, the herein-described mining-squib, comprising the shells saturated or coated with a composition to make them combustible, preparatory to filling the same, a filling for the shells,

. composed of some explosive agent, heads or stoppers at the ends of the shell, made of ingredients to form a paste which will adhere to the shells, and yet be readily combustible, and the combustible match, as set forth.

4. As an improved article of manufacture, the herein-described mining-squib, comprising the shells saturated or coated with a mixture to make them combustible, preparatory to filling the same, a filling for the shells, composed of some explosive agent, heads or stoppers at the ends, made of ingredients to form a paste which will adhere to the shells, and yet be readily combustiblaand the match indeo pendent of the shell and formed of a flat piece of material coated with a combustible compo sition, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. As an improvement in mining-squibs, the shells saturated or immersed in a compo- 3 5 sition to make them combustible, and having an explosive filling, combustible heads or stoppers at the ends of the shell to retain the filling, and the combustible match independent of the shell, as set forth. 4o

6. As an improvement in mining-squibs, the shells saturated or immersed in a composition to render them combustible, and having an explosive filling, combustible heads or stoppers at the ends of the shell to retain the fill- 45 ing, and the match formed of a flat piece of suitable material independent of the shell and coated with a composition to make it combustible, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as 50 my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE A. INGRAM.

\Vitnesses:

DANIEL L. Evans, James B. SHAVER. 

